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Which Fireplace Consoles Are Good for a Small Living Space?

Fireplace Consoles

Not everyone is building a new home while working with a professional architect, skillful home builder, and eager interior designer to design you the perfect mansion. Many of us choose to live in smaller spaces like cozy houses, minimal condos, and charming apartments. Of course, if you want an electric fireplace in one of these smaller homes, your home decor and interior design options are going to be a bit more limited than their much larger counterparts. Luckily, electric fireplaces come in so many various types that there are options that have to do specifically with saving space in modestly sized homes. One of these options is to have a fireplace built into an entertainment center or media console. These do a great job of consolidating two different pieces of furniture into one, allowing you more space and accessibility within your home. An electric fireplace TV stand gives you a media console or entertainment center to put your TVs up on them while keeping your fireplace at the same central focal point in your home.

In this article, we are going to talk about the benefits of electric fireplaces, the features you should be aware of before purchasing, which brands are better to get, and we will even offer some alternatives to using a TV stand console fireplace that will still allow you to save space.

In This Article, You’re Going To Learn The Following:

  • Why Is An Electric Fireplace Better Than a Traditional Fireplace? – While it is on the rarer side to find wood or gas fireplaces built into smaller homes like apartments and condos, it does still happen. Regardless, it is incredibly important for you to know all of the benefits that come with electric fireplaces over these more traditional types of fireplaces. This section will explain the downsides of using wood or gas in your home, and the upsides of going electric for your home fireplace needs.
  • What Are The Various Electric Fireplace Types? – This section is going to give you a basic overview of all of the different electric fireplaces that you can commonly find available for use in your home. While many of these types are very useful in different situations, some should actually be avoided if you want a quality fireplace.
  • What Fireplace Console Types Are Good For a Living Room in a Small Home? – Here we will talk specifically about centerpiece fireplace media console types to put TVs up on, their benefits, and some minor downsides that you should be aware of when purchasing.
  • What Are Features To Consider When Looking at a Fireplace Console? – A fireplace media console can come in a variety of shapes, sizes, materials, colors, and with several feature options when it comes to its function as a TV stand. In this section, we will cover all of the different features that you should be aware of and which you might want to go with for your specific home decorating style.
  • What Are Decent Brands When It Comes To a Fireplace Console or Fireplace TV Stand? – You don’t want to buy generic electric fireplace TV console brands, so which do you get? This section will cover some different brands that you might want to consider if you are going to get one of these consoles. We will talk about brands like Ameriwood, Walker Edison, and more.
  • Are There Good Electric Fireplace Options To Save Space Other Than a Fireplace TV Stand? – If you still want the benefit of saving space with an electric fireplace but you want some other options that might be better for your home, this section might be for you. Here we will talk about electric fireplaces that can help you save space without limiting the performance of the fireplace itself.
  • Which Company Has Flame Effects That Look Like a Real Flame? – If you are looking for one of the most realistic electric fireplaces on the market, then this section will be for you. We will highlight everything that makes MagikFlame electric fireplaces leaders in the industry. We will also point out some specific models that are great for saving space in your home.

Why Is An Electric Fireplace Better Than a Traditional Fireplace?

Many people are realizing that electric fireplaces are the way to go for their improved performance, efficiency, safety, and the fact that visual effects have come a long way over the years. However, some people still think a wood or gas fireplace is a good option in their smaller house or if their apartment or condo has one included. If this is the case, you should understand that wood and gas fireplaces have plenty of issues and dangers associated with them, and even if your home already has one included with it, you can easily convert it into a purely electric one with a fireplace insert. First, let’s cover the problems with wood fireplaces specifically:

  • One of the leading causes of house fires is wood fireplaces. There are two main reasons for this. The first reason is that you have large, roaring flames, directly exposed to the interior of your home. Sparks of embers can shoot off of the fire and start a fire when it comes into contact with something flammable in your home. Additionally, it is not unheard of for a fiery log to fall off of the grate and roll unto the carpet or a rug. While a screen can somewhat help with this safety issue, it isn’t always completely effective. Even worse than an exposed flame is the soot that builds up within a chimney over the years. As that soot builds up, it becomes more flammable, and the flames can eventually set it all ablaze within your chimney. This will start a fire that is near impossible for you to put out yourself, and will likely spread to the rest of the house before firemen are able to help. Because of the dangers of the soot build-up, you have to call a professional multiple times per year to keep your chimney clean and are less likely to start a tragic house fire.
  • There are two main things you have to worry about when it comes to the harmful emissions of a wood fireplace: smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning. While a lot of these emissions escape through your chimney ventilation system, no matter what, these eventually make their way into your home. If they build up and are too concentrated in the air, they can cause some serious health problems and in more drastic cases, it can become fatal. While it is always good to have quality smoke and carbon monoxide detectors throughout your home, even small amounts of these emissions that aren’t picked up by the detectors can still cause you breathing and health problems over time.
  • There is no denying that wood fireplaces are a big hassle to use. Before you even use one, you have to clean the ash out of the fireplace. You then need to split logs before painstakingly building a fire. After your fire has started, you still have to stoke the flames with more logs from time to time. If all of that wasn’t enough, you have to keep part of your focus split and on the fireplace throughout the day for safety reasons.
  • Since wood fireplaces require ventilation for emissions to escape your home, a lot of heat generated from burning wood actually escapes with that smoke. This makes wood fireplaces incredibly inefficient with heat. You have to burn quite a lot of wood in order to make up for this heat loss problem.
  • Smell – Even with proper ventilation, there is no escaping the smell of smoke when you use a wood-burning fireplace to heat your home. This smell will linger in the air of your home long after the fire has been put out. The smoky smell gets deep into the fibers of your furniture, your carpets, your rugs, your curtains, and unfortunately, even your clothes. After sitting in the same room for a while, even your hair and skin can begin to smell like smoke. In time, you will actually get used to the smell and will fail to notice it as much. However, once a guest comes over, the smell can be very strong and easily noticeable. Additionally, when you leave your home, that smell you are not noticing even on your own clothes will be very noticeable to others. People you see at work or even the store will smell the smoky fireplace on you everywhere you go.
  • Stains – It isn’t just a lingering smell you have to worry about with these fireplaces. There is also the issue of smoke staining the walls and furniture of your home over time. White walls and light-colored furniture will become yellow over the years.
  • TV Damage – You can’t even mount a TV on the wall directly above a wood-burning fireplace. The smoke and the heat that rises get into the internal electronics of the TV and ruin it. After a short amount of time, you will need to get your TV repaired or possibly replaced. Since the owner’s manuals will usually warn you against mounting your TV above wood-burning fireplaces, this kind of damage is almost never covered under warranties.
  • Wood Storage – To have enough wood to keep your fireplace going, you need sufficient space for wood storage. If you have a smaller property like an apartment or a condo, it is almost impossible to find enough space to store enough wood to keep you warm throughout the winter months.

Although many people see gas fireplaces as a safer option, which they are, they still have plenty of issues that make them less than ideal:

  • In a gas fireplace, you still have a flame exposed to your home. While sparking embers and rolling fiery logs aren’t much of a concern, the exposed flame can still cause a house fire if flammable material were to come into contact with the flames.
  • Luckily, gas fireplaces don’t produce harmful smoke like wood fireplaces. However, an incomplete burn of the gas still produces carbon monoxide that can be released into your home.
  • Gas fireplaces are notorious for having ugly flame colors, especially ones that use a gas that burns a strange neon blue color.
  • Burners on gas fireplaces put out weak streams of fire with little to no flickering effects, making them a poor substitute if you want your fire to resemble that of a traditional wood fireplace.
  • Installing a gas fireplace if you don’t already have one requires a professional to run gas lines, install the unit, and in many cases, install a venting pipe. This usually makes gas fireplace installation very expensive.

Luckily, electric fireplaces have plenty of benefits that make them a much better choice for your home, especially smaller homes like condos and apartments where you have no other choice:

  • There is no added risk of house fire since nothing inside is burning.
  • They don’t produce any harmful emissions.
  • Since they don’t produce smoke, they won’t cause a smell or stains in your home.
  • They are incredibly easy to use and you don’t have to constantly watch them for safety.
  • Installation is as easy as plugging it into a wall outlet after you’ve found the right spot for it.
  • You can easily put one in any room of the house.
  • They are safe if you want to mount a TV above them.
  • The infrared heaters are both efficient and powerful, and there is no heat loss since ventilation isn’t needed.
  • For larger homes, you can save a lot of money on your heating bill with zone heating using more than one fireplace.
  • They come with a remote control or intuitive smartphone app.
  • The simulated flames generated by higher-end holographic fireplaces can truly capture a realistic fireplace ambiance.
Corner fireplace console

What Are The Various Electric Fireplace Types?

  • Flat Wall Fireplace Mantel Package
  • Corner Fireplace
  • TV Stand Fireplace
  • Corner TV Stand Fireplace
  • Wall Mount Electric Fireplace
  • Electric Fireplace Insert
  • Freestanding Electric Fireplace Heater
  • Electric Fireplace Stove

What Fireplace Console Types Are Good For a Living Room in a Small Home?

There are essentially two different types of TV stands with fireplaces built into them. They are a stand that is more rectangular and made to go against a flat wall, and there are corner units that are made to fit into the corner of a room, each has its advantages and disadvantages. Here are details on both so that you can make the decision that is right for you:

  • Standard TV Stand Fireplace – These TV stand units tend to be larger and are built to go against a flat wall of your home. Because of their size, they have some distinct advantages over corner units. First, they are usually made so that you can fit a larger TV on top of them. Depending on the size of the specific TV stand unit that you have, they can support medium to large to extra-large TVs. As the size of the unit increase, so does the space within it. This means that larger units can have a larger unit that has a better chance of including better flame visual effects and having a better heating unit inside of it. This also means there will be more space for additional features like shelves and cabinets inside of the unit, regardless of the fireplace itself taking up so much space within it. The downside of these units is that to benefit the most from them, you will need a larger unit that will be counterproductive to your space-saving needs. When it comes to these units, it is usually best to get a unit that fits your TV size, rather than simply getting the biggest unit you have. Keep in mind that some of the smaller units may have to cut corners in both the heating performance and visual effects due to limited space. It will also have much less space for storage and shelves.
  • Corner TV Stand Fireplace – These units are simply built into a corner design so that you can easily fit them into the corner of a room rather than against a flat wall. In these instances, the TV would be at a 45-degree angle, facing the center of the room. This may not be ideal if your couch or seating isn’t set up to face the corner. However, the corner unit does save quite a bit more space than a flat-wall unit. Of course, they are definitely more limited in size, so large and extra-large TVs won’t really fit these corner units. They are usually just for small and medium TVs, depending on the specific unit you purchase. Additionally, these will have the same issues as the smaller flat wall units. The limited space means that there will be less shelf space and storage and the fireplace itself may have performance issues when it comes to both heating and visual effects, even compared to standard corner fireplaces that aren’t TV stands. However, if you have a room layout that is different than standard rectangular or square rooms, and the layout puts more focus on the corners of the rooms, and your TV isn’t too big, these might be adequate for your needs.

What Are Features To Consider When Looking at a Fireplace Console?

Having a fireplace built into a TV stand for flat-panel TVs to sit on is a great way to save space in your home, but they also come with a wide variety of features that you need to be aware of so that you are buying one that best matches your preferences.

The first thing to consider, is do you want one to go against the flat of your wall or the corner of your room? This will come down to your preferences, the amount of space you want to save, and the layout of your home.

The next thing that is important for you to consider is what kind of material do you want your TV stand fireplace to be built out of? Solid wood will usually last much longer, but it will also be heavier when moving. Engineered wood like particle board or MDF will typically be a bit lighter, but it won’t last very long at all. It chips easily and the laminate looks fake. Additionally, the laminate will begin to peel and curl in the corners of the unit over time as the glue begins to break down. It’s usually better to go with a unit made out of solid wood so that it lasts longer and is often worth the trouble of carrying upstairs if needed.

Next, you want to consider the color of your unit. This will usually have a lot to do with the material that you choose as well. Do you want something darker like an espresso color? Do you want a more modern and clean white oak? Do you want something within a rustic farmhouse style with a rich grain, built out of wood that looks like it was repurposed from a barn door? Whether you get an espresso unit, a bright white unit, or a more transitional style somewhere in between, you want to make sure it matches the other wood furniture that is already in your home like your coffee table or end tables.

The last thing to consider is what additional features the stand itself will have. Keep in mind that the fireplace within the body of your stand will make space limited, so you usually can’t get all of these features included together. Instead, you will have to pick the ones that most fit your specific needs. Is it important that you have plenty of cubbies or shelving with an open shelf design for easy access to your media devices and media collection? Do you want side cabinets with plenty of storage space hidden behind cabinet doors or do you prefer glass doors instead?

Consider what things you will need to be included around your TV and choose the features that you will personally need. Regardless of which features you get, make sure that the back is set up for good wire and cable management.

What Are Decent Brands When It Comes To a Fireplace Console or Fireplace TV Stand?

When it comes to brands, you don’t want to buy a generic fireplace brand, whether it is built into a TV stand or not. For this reason, you want to focus on brands that are a bit more trusted and known for higher build quality. There are a handful of decent brands for you to consider. Some good fireplace media console brands are Highboy, Southern Enterprises, Walker Edison, or Ameriwood with their Farmington TV stands.

It is very important to understand that different brands tend to specialize in different looks and styles of their fireplace stands for your flat-screen TV. You want to focus on ones that match the design style already present within your home. You also want to choose ones that have the material and color you prefer, as well as some of the previously listed features you that want. Keep in mind that larger fireplaces inside of it, maybe with a driftwood log in the firebox, will take up more space in the TV stand, limiting space for these other features.

Are There Good Electric Fireplace Options To Save Space Other Than a Fireplace TV Stand?

Because electric fireplaces built into TV stands can sometimes have some performance issues due to the limited space available for their fireplaces, there are actually some alternative options that you can go with that will also help you save space but will allow you a full-sized fireplace unit with high-quality performance. Here are some options:

  • Standard Electric Fireplace Flat Wall Unit With TV Mounted Above It – You may be surprised at the dimensions of even full-sized electric fireplaces. Regardless of their height and width, they tend to not stick out too far from a wall, especially compared to standard white TV stands. This allows you more walking space in front of the unit. On top of this, there are flat wall mantel package units that are built a little more compact. They will have the same quality fireplace inside of them, but they simply come in a smaller mantel size to better fit smaller living spaces and allow you to have an electric fireplace in a small living room. On top of this, you can actually just mount your TV on the wall right above your fireplace. This actually saves even more space than getting a fireplace that is built into a TV stand. The only downside is that you don’t really have much space for other devices or your media collection. Of course, with the popularity of streaming and the fact that most modern TVs have streaming apps already in them, this won’t be a problem for most people, making this the perfect solution to save even more space while having a much higher quality fireplace you can be proud of.
  • Standard Corner Fireplace With TV Placed On Top – If you want to save space with a corner unit, simply use a standard corner fireplace instead of one that is a TV stand. You can still put a TV on top of these consoles up to a certain size. Just like the previous example, your only issue will be if you need shelves or other space for media devices. If you can go with a more minimalist setup, this option is great to save even more space with a high-end fireplace.
  • Fireplace Insert or Wall Mount Unit – If you have a home where you are allowed to cut into the drywall, this might be a great option for you. By using an insert or a wall mount unit and installing it into a recessed wall, you can make the fireplace sit completely flush with the wall, making it take up very little space in the room. If this is installed slightly off of the ground, you can place a smaller bookshelf or another furniture piece on the floor below it. You could also build these with a recessed bookshelf around it for a wonderful media wall. For people who own their home or have permission to do work on the drywall, there are many different options you can go with when it involves inserts and wall mounts, all of which will save you a lot of space.

Which Company Has Flame Effects That Look Like a Real Flame?

When it comes to realistic fire effects, MagikFlame is the leader. Their Holoflame technology allows for fire effects that genuinely look like the real thing. However, this isn’t the only reason that people love MagikFlame fireplaces so much. Here are the main reasons a MagikFlame fireplace is perfect for your home:

  • Ultra-realistic Flames – Inside the firebox of MagikFlame electric fireplaces is a physical log set that 3D holographic flames are projected. These flames move and flicker, and spark small embers for an immersive, realistic fireplace experience. There are 30 different styles of flames that you can cycle through if you would like to set a different mood for the room.
  • Crackling Log Sounds – You can double down on the immersion of MagikFlame fireplaces with the crackling log sounds that go with the fiery visuals. By hearing the sounds of crackling logs, you will further be plunged into a relaxing and inviting fireplace atmosphere. There are optional nature sounds you can play as well if you want a more relaxing time.
  • 5,200 BTU Infrared Electric Fireplace Heater MagikFlame fireplaces come with an infrared heater that is both powerful and efficient. The heater inside of every MagikFlame fireplace can easily keep a space of 1,000 sq. ft. warm and cozy. For a home that is small or medium size, especially condos, and apartments, this means a single MagikFlame fireplace can warm the entire home. For people that happen to have a home with more square feet, you can get a secondary fireplace for a zone heating strategy that will help save even more money on the heating bill.
  • Bluetooth Smartphone App – MagikFlame fireplaces come with a smartphone app that allows you to control it from anywhere within your home. You can turn your fireplace on or off without getting out of your seat, you can set the thermostat, change fire effects, change audio sounds, and more.

Since people reading this specific article may be looking for options that can help save space, here are three of their models that can help with that:

  • Morpheus small fireplace– The Morpheus is a beautiful flat wall fireplace with a mantel, but in a slightly more compact size compared to the larger MagikFlame models. Regardless of the smaller size of the mantel housing, the fireplace itself comes fully featured like all MagikFlame fireplaces.
  • Churchill corner fireplace – The Churchill is a corner fireplace unit that can help save space or create a corner point of focus in rooms with a more asymmetrical room layout. Instead of TV stand features like shelves and cabinets, it focuses on keeping the same, powerful, efficient, and beautiful fireplace, but in a mantel designed for corners to save space. You can still put a TV on top of this corner model, allowing you to further save space by removing your need for a TV stand altogether.
  • 28 inch Fireplace Insert – With a MagikFlame insert, you can remove the extra mantel completely, and install these into recessed walls, saving tons of floor space. You can also use these in the opening of a traditional wood fireplace that you might have, to convert into electric. Finally, you can choose to use these with other, compact, third-party mantels that may better fit the style of your home decorating.
Traditional White Electric Fireplace Mantel & Insert with Sound and Heater
Stand-Alone Electric Fireplace Insert with Sound and Heater
Modern White Electric Fireplace Mantel & Insert with Sound and Heater
European Style White Electric Fireplace Mantel & Insert with Sound and Heater
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